"Barty Crouch?"
Zhang Xiao sat up straight. How had Barty Crouch ended up becoming Minister?
He had originally thought Susan Bones, head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and Scrimgeour, Head of the Auror Office, were much more likely candidates.
Barty Crouch... Although he held considerable power and influence, Barty Crouch had been a thoroughly tragic figure in the original books because of Barty Crouch Jr.
If his son hadn't dragged him down, he would have been a shoo-in for Minister for Magic. Fudge had simply lucked into the job.
Wait, that actually makes a lot of sense. Zhang Xiao picked up his black tea and sipped it. This time, the Death Eaters had managed to outrage everyone, especially by kidnapping young witches and wizards.
To parents, that was utterly unforgivable. Even people with no personal stake in the matter could sympathize.
If they dared kidnap children today, wouldn't they dare come to people's homes and murder them tomorrow? Well, they certainly would.
Fear had left the public desperate for a new Minister who could make them feel safe.
Although Susan Bones also had a reputation for being strict, people's bias toward women automatically made them see a hint of weakness in her.
And Scrimgeour?
He was tough enough, but his résumé was thin. Having spent so long in law enforcement, he left the public with serious doubts about his ability to govern.
But Barty Crouch was different. Apart from Barty Crouch Jr., his record was spotless. He was uncompromising and highly capable, not to mention that he had once given the public a considerable sense of security.
Even when it came to his own son, he had shown complete impartiality and firmly sentenced him to life in Azkaban.
But that was precisely the problem. Zhang Xiao recalled what